Penguins' Dupuis likely done for rest of season

Christopher Horner | Tribune-Review - The Penguins' Pascal Dupuis celebrates his goal during the first period against the Flames on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013, at Consol Energy Center.

Getty Images - The Penguins' Pascal Dupuis is helped off the ice by teammates Matt Niskanen (left) and Chris Kunitz after injuring his knee against the Senators on Dec. 23, 2013, in Ottawa, Ontario. Dupuis suffered a torn ACL and is out for the season.

Crosby was slightly hobbled following the hit, missing a shift. His momentum from the hit carried Crosby into Dupuis, and the collision severed Dupuis' ACL.

“I didn't like it,” Crosby said Friday. “I'm on the smaller side of the big D-men I play against. As a small guy, if you go low on a big guy, it's frowned upon. It's not considered a clean hit. For a big guy to hit that low — it was on the outside of my thigh — is tough. And he only got one leg. If my leg stays on the ice, my knee is gone. There's no point in making that hit.”

RALEIGH, N.C. — One of the most irreplaceable Penguins is done for the season.

Right wing Pascal Dupuis suffered a torn ACL in his right knee and will undergo surgery in approximately two weeks, according to coach Dan Bylsma.

Replacing Dupuis' versatility will be an arduous task for general manager Ray Shero, should he attempt to land a forward before the March 6 trade deadline.

“The thing about Duper is that he literally does everything well,” said Carolina center and former teammate Jordan Staal. “They are going to miss him a ton.”

Don't look for the Penguins to stand pat if it is determined that a top-six forward could help them at the trade deadline.

“If this injury happens after the trade deadline,” Shero said, “it's much more of a problem.”

Shero isn't in a rush to make a move. He pointed out that Beau Bennett — a player with top-six pedigree, among a host of other players — will return to the lineup soon.

But Shero has been aggressive at the trade deadline in the past and might have a need for a forward that wasn't previously expected.

“The good news is that there's still half a season to play,” Shero said. “If someone can help us improve, then great.”

Shero acknowledged that replacing Dupuis won't be easy.

“It shows you how far he's come with us,” Shero said. “It's going to be a loss in the short term, maybe in the long term. At least at some point we do get players back.”

Dupuis' responsibilities for the Penguins are significant:

• He is Sidney Crosby's right wing. Crosby prefers Dupuis by his side so much that he opted to play with him instead of Jarome Iginla last season.

• Dupuis has flourished on all four lines while with the Penguins, and in a pinch, can play all three forward positions as well as the point on the power play.

• Dupuis arguably is the Penguins' best penalty killer.

• He ranks fourth among Penguins forwards with 69 hits and plays with tremendous speed, something that is crucial in Bylsma's system.

• Dupuis is a respected and vocal figure in the locker room.

Bylsma said although there is no timetable for Dupuis' return, it's “likely he might miss the rest of the season.”

Players typically require close to a year to fully recover from the surgery. Dupuis, who turns 35 in April, relies heavily on his legs to produce the speed that has made him a fixture on Crosby's line.

He signed a four-year, $15 million deal — far less than what he could have received on the open market — to remain with the Penguins in July.

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